Oil: A Beginner's Guide (Beginner's Guides)

World acclaimed scientist Vaclav Smil reveals everything there is to know about nature's most sought-after resource

Oil is the lifeblood of the modern world. Without it, there would be no planes, no plastic, no exotic produce, and a global political landscape few would recognise. Humanity’s dependence upon oil looks set to continue for decades to come, but what is it?

Fully updated and packed with fascinating facts to fuel dinner party debate, Professor Vaclav Smil's Oil: A Beginner's Guide explains all matters related to the ‘black stuff’, from its discovery in the earth right through to the controversy that surrounds it today.

• Energy and Civilization: A History (The MIT Press)
• Energy and Civilization: A History (The MIT Press)
• Power Density: A Key to Understanding Energy Sources and Uses (The MIT Press)
• Growth: From Microorganisms to Megacities (The MIT Press)
• Natural Gas: Fuel for the 21st Century
• Energy Transitions: Global and National Perspectives, 2nd Edition
• Energy Myths and Realities: Bringing Science to the Energy Policy Debate
• Made in the USA: The Rise and Retreat of American Manufacturing (The MIT Press)
• Making the Modern World - Materials and Dematerialization
• Global Catastrophes and Trends: The Next Fifty Years (The MIT Press)